Warmth of Winter
by NightOwl904
Summary: Katie is a normal teenager trying to cope with the loss of her mother. Jack Frost is the Guardian who can't seem to stay away. When the world is threatened with darkness again, Katie finds herself mixed up in a world she never dreamed of. JackxOC Rated T just to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

Carefully, I slip my foot out of the window and onto the ledge. The brick is cold as I stand outside and pull myself up to the roof. A cold wind blasts me, whipping my hair around my face, and I wrap my robe tighter around my body. Sitting down in the center, I look out at the world around me. The moon is full, shining its light so that the snow on the ground glistens. Tree tops sway in the cool breeze and stretch into the sky, as if to touch the starts. A faint glow comes from the right across town. A holiday concert is always preformed the week before Christmas. The music is quiet, but I close my eyes and listen.

_Silent night, holy night,_

_All is calm, all is bright,_

_Round yon Virgin Mother and Child,_

_Holy Infant so tender and mild,_

_Sleep in heavenly peace,_

_Sleep in heavenly peace._

My mother's voice comes to my mind as I listen to the sweet choir sing. She used to sing this to me every night in December when I was little. My throat forms a lump, and a tear slides down my face. It's been a long time since I've heard her voice.

Sighing, I lay down on to the roof; not noticing that is has gotten much colder in the last minute.

"Well that was a big sigh." A voice says. My eyes snap open to see bright blue eyes inches from mine.

"Ahhh!" I scream and sit up fast, smacking heads with the boy. My skull throbs from the impact.

"Ow! Man, you must have a thick head! That really hurt!" The boy says, laughing. He floats around from above me and lands at the base of the roof, leaning on his staff. His blue hood falls down, reveling his spiky snow-white hair. A smile plays across his lips as I glare at him.

"What are you doing here?" I ask him.

"Stalking you." His says casually. I roll my eyes at him and he chuckles. "I'm just messing with you, Snowflake. The real question is what are _you_ doing here?"

Ignoring his question, I ask, "How did you even find where I live?"

"I followed you home." He smiles, showing off his pure white teeth, "And you have a lovely singing voice by the way." My cheeks turn bright red as I remember that I was singing on the way home today.

"Y-you heard that?" I stutter.

"Yup." He says, popping his lips on the "p".

"Well that's embarrassing." I mumble. His eyes light up, as my cheeks become a darker shade of red. _Great, He's amused. How am I ever supposed to get rid of him now?_

He runs his hand through his hair and puts his staff over his shoulder. Walking along the roof, he looks over the snow-covered landscape and says, "It's a beautiful night, isn't it?"

"A little too cold for my taste." I say, shivering.

He turns back around at looks at me. "What? You don't like the cold?"

"Not really." A mischievous grin spreads across his face.

"What are you…" Before I could finish, the boy dives over the roof to the ground below. I sit in silence for a moment, until a snowball comes up from below, hitting me square in the face. The snow stings as I swipe it from my eyes. Laughter echoes from below, and I peer over the edge to see him standing on the tip of his staff. He was perfectly balanced. _Not for long._

I scoop up some of the snow next to me and pack it into a ball. Using my arm to aim, I whip the snowball and hit him in the ear. Arms flailing, he tumbles backwards off of the stick, and into the snow mound behind him. A small giggle escapes my lips when he sits up and pouts at me.

"What was that for Snowflake?" He gets up from the ground and brushes snow off his hoodie.

"Payback." I say, "And _this,_" I quickly scoop up another handful of snow and whip it at the boy, "is for stalking me!" He moves his head just in time to dodge the oncoming snowball. It barely missed his ear.

"You've got aim Snowflake."

"I would hope so. I need to be able to keep my stalker away."

"Are you calling me a stalker?"

"Are you denying it?" Shrugging his shoulders, he picks up his staff and flies back onto the roof.

"So what if I am your stalker?" He asks, playing around. "I would actually be flattered."

"But how can I be flattered if I don't know their name?"

"Oh, sorry Snowflake. Can't tell you that one."

I throw my hands in the air. "I don't get why it's such a big secret. Come on!"

"Everyone loves a good mystery." He winks at me. I sigh and stand up from the cold roof. My butt has become numb and sore from sitting.

"Fine then. If you won't tell me, I'll just leave." I glide past him to the edge of the roof. Sitting down, I swing my legs over and grip the gutter. In one swift movement, I slide off and swing through my second story window. I close the window behind me and shut the curtain.

Walking into the bathroom, I crank the shower water up until it's steaming, and step inside. Warm water pelts my face and brings feeling back to my toes and fingers. I flex them to get the blood pumping again and continue through my shower routine.

Turing the water off, I step out of the tub and wrap up in a towel. I brush through my curly wet hair and tip toe down the hall to my sister's room. The door is cracked slightly, and I peer inside to see her curled up with her stuffed bunny. I smile to myself and turn away. A cold breeze meets me as I walk into my room. The window hangs open with the curtains blowing. _That's funny. I thought I closed it._ I walk over and shut the window, drawing the curtains tight.

I hear movement coming from behind me. Turing to look, I see the boy leaning against my wall, looking around my room.

"What are you doing in here?" I hiss. His eyes flicker to me and widen. I clutch my towel tighter around my body.

He looks away quickly and I swear I catch a glimpse of pink in his cheeks.

"How did you get _in_ here?"

"The window." He looks back at me and smirks. "I know your crazy about me and everything, but I didn't know you were_ that_ desperate."

I pull the towel up higher, causing him to laugh.

"Why are you here?" I ask.

"To talk. I wasn't done when you left the roof."

"Couldn't you have at least waited until I was in clothes?" He flies over to me so our faces were inches apart.

"Now that wouldn't have been any fun." He whispers. Blood rushes to my cheeks and I gulp loudly. A smile spreads across his face, making my heart flutter for a moment. _Damn. I never realized how cute his smile is._

"I'm just kidding Snowflake." He says and rolls back on his heels.

"You are just so creepy!" I fluster. He laughs loudly, amused at my embarrassment. _I need to get out of this towel._

Grabbing the lump of pajamas on the floor, I walk into my closet and shut the door tightly behind me.

"Take all the time you need Snowflake." He calls from my room. The towel drops from my body and I slip into my PJs. When I open the door, I find him lounging on my bed, arms behind his head, staring at the ceiling. His bare feet are propped up on the bedpost and his staff leans against the wall. He looks up as I close the door behind me.

Shaking his head, he grins. "I don't really think your clothes are helping much. The towel covered up more than your PJs."

I look down at myself and see that the pajamas I've chosen were just a cami and shorts.

"I may be a Guardian, but I'm still a guy."

"My eyebrows knit together. "Guardian?"

He waves off my confused expression and looks to the short Christmas tree in the corner next to my bookshelf. Grabbing his staff, he launches himself across the room, landing silently on his feet next to the tree. He eyes one of the round, glass ornaments hanging in the center. Picking it off, he observers it between his fingers.

It is a smoky white color with dark green pine trees painted onto it in layers. Snow hills flow across the bottom and three children play. One of them lies in the snow, making an angel, and the other two are caught in the middle of their snowball fight. Their bright jackets stand out against the white background, and the colors blur together as he tips it up on his index finger and spins it like a basketball.

"Please!" I say cautiously, reaching out to him, "Don't drop it."

"Why?" He asks, popping it up into the air. It lands on his shoulder and he rolls it down his other arm, catching it in his hand. "Is it special to you?" Walking around the room, he teasingly continues to throw and catch the ornament.

"Yes, please put it down!"

"What makes it so special?"

I hesitate before answering. "It was my mother's." I say, biting my lip, "She was the one who painted it."

"Oh?" He raises his eyebrow.

"Yeah, uh, it's one of the last things I have of hers…so could you please…" My voice gets caught in my throat and an urge to cry washes over me. I turn away from him so he wouldn't make fun of my face. To my surprise however, he walks over to me and puts the ornament in my hands. I run my fingers over the bumps in the paint and sigh.

"So she painted that?" He asks, breaking the silence.

"Yeah. She was a painter. All of the pictures downstairs were made by her."

"Including that one?" He nods his head over to a painting hanging on the wall above the head of my bed.

"Uh no," I scratch the back of my head. "I painted that one actually. It's based on a dream I had when I was little."

The majority of the painting is filled with black clouds swirling around a girl sitting in the middle of the abyss. Her knees are hugged to her chest with long brown hair falling down her back. A single light slides through the clouds, illuminating her face, keeping the dark clouds at bay. She stares up at the light as if it was going to save her, but a shadow with a wicked smile threatens to swallow her up as it creeps towards her.

"Wow. That's really good." He says, "But it's kind of a depressing dream don't you think?"

I smile slightly and place the ornament onto my nightstand. "It was a nightmare I had when I was little, and my mom said that the best paintings always came from fear or question."

"Your mom sounds like a smart lady."

"Yeah, she was."

"Was?"

"Oh…uh…" Before I could explain, headlights shine through my bedroom curtains and my eyes widen.

"That's my dad." I say, opening the window. "And that is also your cue to leave."

"Aw, can't I stay longer? Pretty please?" He begs with his eyes like a puppy's.

"Uh no. Let's not forget, I have school tomorrow."

"Oh I almost forgot. I can't wait to see what school brings tomorrow." A mischievous grin spreads across his face.

"Please don't follow me again."

"Oh you know I will Snowflake. I always do." Rolling my eyes, I sigh. He floats over to the window and sits on the ledge.

"What are you waiting for?" I walk over to him.

"My goodnight kiss."

"Dream on." I snort.

"Then I'm not leaving."

I lean in close to him. "If you tell me your name, then you might get your wish."

"Hmm, tempting, but no."

"Oh come on." I say, playfully. "Your first name?" He pauses for a moment and eyes me suspiciously.

"Fine." He says finally. "Hi, I'm Jack Frost, your stalker. Now where is my kiss?"

"Kiss the snow!" I grab the bottom of his feet and flip him out the window. He can't react fast enough to snatch his staff, so he plummets into the snow beneath my window. He stands up and shakes his hair like a dog.

"Your cruel Snowflake." He says as I toss his staff down to him. I shrug to him and smile. Flying back up to me, he rests his elbows on the windowsill.

"I know your name now!" I say, tauntingly. He smiles wickedly at me.

"Yes, and I'll be waiting for that kiss Snowflake."

"You'll be waiting for a long time then, Frosty."

"I've got all the time I need. I can wait for you any day." His statement shocked me for a moment. He almost looked serious when he said it.

"Whatever."

"Goodnight Snowflake." He says and lets go of the window. The wind starts to pick up and he floats lower to the ground. "See you tomorrow." He winks and lets a gust carry him down the yard and over the treetops.


	2. Chapter 2

Jack Frost.

So _that's_ the name of my bare-foot stalker. It suites him very well, considering his hair is icy white and his skin is so pale it's almost grey. Not to mention that the blue hoodie he wears has snow on it that never seems to melt. Right as I heard him say it, the first thing in my mind was a line in a Christmas song, "_Jack Frost nipping at your nose"._ I also thought of an old Christmas special I watched when I was little. It was when Jack Frost fell in love with a girl and wished to be human. But when he tried to win her heart, he found that the girl was already in love with a knight in golden armor. _He couldn't be that Jack Frost, could he_? It almost seems possible, considering that he can fly and the cold doesn't bother his bare feet. _And why didn't he just tell me his name the first day we met?_ I told him _mine_. Though, he likes to call me Snowflake instead of Katie. And out of all the people in Burgess he chooses to follow me? Well, I guess I _did_ slip and fall right in front of him.

_My dad bursts through the door._

"_Katie! It's already 6:45! You are going to be late!" He says. My eyes snap open and I fly out of my bed to my closet._

"_Well thanks for not waking me up sooner." I say sarcastically. Closing the closet door, I change into my favorite green crewneck and skinny jeans. I brush my hair and do a quick check in the mirror before walking out of my room. Bounding down the stairs, my dad hands me my lunch and kisses me on the forehead. _

"_Have a nice day sweetheart." He says._

"_Thanks dad." I grab my coat off the rack and pull my knit hat over my curly brown hair. Slinging my backpack over my shoulder, I open the door and step outside. Wind blasts me as I walk down my driveway, making my face numb._

"_Jeez. It's freezing." I say as I turn the corner and walk down the street. The school is only a few blocks from my house, so I always walk. There is another path through a forest behind my house that is much faster, but judging from the snow from last night, I'd be knee-deep walking through there. And I'd rather not lose my feet today._

_I am a block away from the school when the five-minute warning bell rings through the air. A cold wind blows past me as I run towards the school. All of a sudden, the sidewalk in front of me turns to ice and I slip._

"_Whoa!" My butt collides with the hard pavement and laughter swirls around me with the wind. I blush and look around. A boy with snowy white hair walks past me, stops, and turns around._

"_Do you believe in love at first sight?" He asks me._

"_Uh, excuse me?"_

"_I said do you believe in love at first sight. Or should I walk by again?" A cocky smile plays across his lips as he eyes me over._

"_I'm sorry, but that had to be the worst pick up line ever." I say as he extends a hand. I hesitated for a moment, thinking on whether or not to take it._

"_Come on Snowflake, I don't bite."_

"_Thanks," He pulls me up off of the sidewalk. "But my name's not Snowflake."_

"_Would you prefer Angel instead?"_

"_No, my name is Katie. I prefer to be called Katie."_

"_Snowflake it is." He winks at me. I roll my eyes at his cheesy flirting. The tardy bell rings through the air and my heart stops._

"_Shoot." I mumble. "I'm so dead."_

"_Better hurry along Snowflake," He says to me. "Or you're going to get in trouble."_

_I raise my eyebrows at him and ask, "Aren't you going to school too?"_

"_Nah. School is too boring. I can't sit still for that long. I have to be in the open air, and not cooped up in some suffocating building." He gives me a mischievous smile. "Maybe you should stay out here with me."_

"_Skip school? No thanks." I say, "Now if you will excuse me, I have to go."_

"_Alright. I'll be waiting for you Snowflake." He calls after me as I walk past him towards the school._

I didn't take him very seriously. It wasn't the first time a guy has flirted with me like that. They were all the same. Always looking for fun, then they dump you the moment they see another pretty girl. So I really didn't expect him to wait all day just for me to get out of school. Though I couldn't get past the feeling that someone was watching me all day. I'd get random chills when I was alone in the hallway, or I would feel someone's eyes one me when I was by a window. How could one guy freak me out this much? _You're just paranoid,_ I would tell myself. And I was, because he wasn't there when I came out of school. I began to relax when I started walking home, and I knew that I probably wouldn't see him ever again. Besides, I was just one girl. There are plenty of girls out there for any guy to fall in love, or even just flirt with. I'm really not that special, but I must have made a pretty good impression on him, because he did follow me home. I mean, how else could he have saved me?

_The boy was nowhere in sight, or at least _my_ sight. The melting snow crunched under my boots as I walked from the schoolyard to the path leading to the forest. Most of the snow has turned to water along the path, thanks to the sun, making it muddy. The wind hasn't let up, so I pull out my scarf from the pocket in my jacket. I am about to put it on, when I strong gust of wind rips it from my fingers, carrying it into the air. I gasp and chase after it, but the longer I run, the farther away it goes. The wind carries it higher into the trees, and gets it caught at the top of an old pine. Staring up at the flapping red fabric, I begin to climb. The wing howls in my ears, as I get closer to my destination. I hadn't realized how high up I was until the scarf was an arms length away. Looking down made me dizzy because I was at least two stories in the air, maybe higher. I gulp and stretch my hand up to the scarf. My fingers just graze over the edge of it when I hear the first snap._

_The tree branch from underneath me gives out, and I begin to fall. Screaming, I reach out for other branch, but they all snap under my momentum. Leaves whip my face on the way down, and I close my eyes as I brace for the impact of the ground. But instead of snow, I'm caught in a pair of cold arms._

"_Told you I'd be waiting." A familiar voice says. Opening my eyes, I gasp. Not because it's the same white-haired boy from before who caught me, but that we are floating in mid air._

"_How…are we really…?" My throat was dry and I was still deciding in my mind if this was real or not. He laughs at my expression and we slowly glide to the ground._

"_Yes, we were just really flying." He says as he puts me down. "Now don't go yelling it all around town. I usually don't show people that, but I couldn't just let you fall…" His voice trails off._

"_This can't be real." I whisper, staring at him._

"_Oh it's real Snowflake." He winks at me. "I'll just leave you to think it over then." With that, he launches into the air and flies away._

Just like that. I was so shocked and confused after that; I couldn't talk for the rest of the night. My dad thought I was getting sick and took my temperature constantly. Lucky, I managed to say that I was just tired, and he let me skip dinner and go to bed early. Thoughts raced through my head and there were so many questions left unanswered that I almost hoped I would see that boy again. I asked some of my friends about him over a phone call, but none had ever heard of him. He was surely a mystery. I almost thought he was some sort of a Guardian Angel, since he started showing up everywhere that I was. Whenever I asked him a question, his answer would only lead me into further confusion until I just gave up with it. I learned to go with the flow as he did, and just except that he was like no other person I'd ever met.

Jack Frost.

His name echoed through my head all night long.

* * *

**Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you all had a great day. Jack stopped at my house and I got the white Christmas I was dreaming of! So I added the first two chapters together if you are wondering and I know this one is a little short, but the next chapter will make up for it I promise! I have it all written out, so all I need to do is type it. Hopefully I can get it posted like now, or tomorrow if I am too tired to type. Anyways, hope you liked it. Can't wait to hear your reviews! You guys are awesome! :)**


	3. Chapter 3

I wake to the sound of quiet tapping on my window. I rub my eyes and slowly sit up in my warm bed. Yawning, I stretch my arms above my head, making the bones in my back crack into place. The green numbers on the alarm clock shine brightly, showing that it's barely past 6:30am. More tapping echoes through my room and I blink a few times to wake up. Folding back my covers, I slide my feet into the slippers on the floor and tip toe over to the window. With the curtains draw back, I notice a lovely layer of frost has collected and a shadow moving behind it. Pushing open the window with my palms, my eyes come in contact with Jack's.

"Good morning Snowflake," He says with a sexy smile. "I'm loving the whole bed-head look you have going on." I run my fingers through my hair and glare at him.

"Why did you wake me up this early? It's Saturday! That means I get to sleep in!"

"I just wanted to make sure you got a head start on the day."

"The sun is not even up yet." I groan.

"Exactly. Which is why you must come with me. I have something to show you."

"No. I'm going back to sleep."I plop down onto my bed, head down, and pull the covers over me.

"I don't think so Snowflake." He says and flies into the room. "You're coming with me whether you like it or not." Jack walks over to my bed and pulls off my covers. _I probably should have closed the window first._ I groan and burry my face in my pillow, hoping he would just go away. My skin jumps as two cold hands slip under me and lift me off of the bed. I open my eyes slightly to see Jack smiling cheerfully down at me. His happiness in the morning is just too much for me. I don't know how he can ever be _that_ awake and full of energy. I mean, does the boy even sleep? Add that to my long list of questions for him.

"What are you doing? Put me down!" I say as I struggle to get out of his grasp.

"I told you. You are coming, and there is nothing you can do to stop me." He hugs me tighter against his chest in a cradle position and walks over to the window. "The only way to get there is to fly."

"No, Jack, it's too early for this." The cold air of December comes in contact with my skin, sending chills down my spine.

He completely ignores my statement and leans in close to me. "Hold on tight Snowflake." He whispers and leaps out of my window.

I gasp, as the earth seems to be hurdling towards us, but at the last second we are caught by the wind and soring high above the trees. Everything around us was dark from the lack of sun in the atmosphere, so there isn't much to see. I burry myself deeper into his chest to hide from the cold wind that threatens to numb my face. Though his arms are cold, I feel a strange warmth radiating around me, keeping me from freezing against his body. I look up to his face to see if he notices the strange warmth, but instead I find myself gawking at his perfect features. Well, at least _I_ thought they were perfect. From the genital curve of his nose and lips, to his sharp jawline and chin, I trace them with my eyes. His white shaggy hair flies in the wind, blowing in his blue eyes. Staring into them, they remind me of a frozen lake ready to crack open and swallow you into the icy waters below. He eyes flicker to mine for a moment and he smiles. His bright white teeth almost seem to sparkle.

"Enjoying the view?" He asks in a cocky tone.

"You wish." I say back. He laughs and leans forward, flying us faster over the black forest below. After what seems like a never-ending sea of trees, Jack looks down at me.

"You have to close your eyes now." He says.

"What? Why?"

"I want it to be a surprise. Now shut your eyes." He reaches one of his hands to cover my eyes, but I swat it away.

"It's dark out. I can't see anything anyways. There's no reason for me to close them."

He gives a slight chuckle. "What? Do you not trust me?"

"Should I?"

"Probably not." He answers and I laugh. Closing my eyes, I listen to the wing howl through my ears and feel the rise and fall of Jacks chest against my side. We slow down for a moment, and then stop moving all together.

"Ok you can open them now." He says. At first, I see nothing but darkness. The moon is nowhere in sight, so the only light is from the distance stars. As my eyes adjust to the darkness, I see that we are standing on a tall hill, overlooking a large field. I crane my head around and find a large willow tree looming over us. Other than that, I can't see anything. Raising my eyebrows, I give him a questioning look.

"Hey, I may not look like much now, but just wait." His eyes light up with excitement, "The magic is in the sunrise and the best view is from the top of the tree." He nods his head upwards.

"Ok, let's get climbing." I say and try to slip my way out of his arms.

"Whoa hold on Snowflake. The last time I let you climb a tree you almost broke your neck. _I'll_ carry you up."

"That was _one_ time!" I complain to him, "You just don't want to put me down."

"Oh you think so?"

"You aren't denying it."

"No one said I had to." Bending his knees, he pushes off from the ground and flies to the top of the tree, dodging branches and swinging leaves. He lands on the highest branch that could support both of our weight and sets me down on my feet. I cling to the trunk of the tree as I slide down and sit on the cold bark. Jack sits down next to me and hooks his staff on one of the nearby branches so he doesn't have to hold it.

"You're not going to fall off this time right?" He asks, teasing me.

"Why can't you just let that go?"

He puts his hands up. "I'm sorry, it's just that _smart_ people wouldn't climb that high just for a scarf."

"Hey! It was my favorite." I pout at him.

"Oh you can buy another." He leans back so that his body rests against another branch.

"No I can't. I knit it when I was little."

"You knit? Isn't that something grandma's do?"

"No! I mean yes…but…" He chuckles at my frustration. "It passes the time…"

"_Really?_ Well who taught you?"

"My Grandma." I mumble and he smiles triumphantly. "Stop it!" I give him a playful shove. His butt slips between the two branches that he is resting on and falls through. At the last moment, his hands catch on the tree.

"Looks like _I'm_ not the one who's going to break their neck." I say, laughing at him. He glares playfully at me as he pulls himself pack up.

"You just caught me off guard. That's all."

"Oh sure." I say in a sarcastic tone. I expect him to spit out a comeback, but it never comes. He just sits there, staring at me with a ridiculous smile on his face. I raise my eyebrows.

"Enjoying the view?" I ask, mocking his tone from earlier.

He gives a slight chuckle and says in an overly flirtatious tone, "Sorry, I was lost in your eyes." I roll my eyes when a strong wind blows through the leaves, making me shiver. _I should have grabbed a jacket._

"You cold Snowflake?" He asks.

"I'm f-f-fine." I say, teeth chattering.

"You don't look very f-f-fine." He chuckles sympathetically, "Here, take this." Jack stands up and removes his hoodie, revealing a loose white shirt underneath. He hands it to me and I slip it over my head.

"Thanks." I blush. That same warmth from before envelops my body, stopping me from shivering. "Doesn't the cold bother you at all?"

"Nope. If it did, I'd probably be wearing shoes."

"Why aren't you already?"

He shrugs. "I don't know. I just never liked shoes."

"Ok, so you can fly…and the cold doesn't bother you…"

"Don't forget about super good-looking."

I laugh, "So are you really _thee_ Jack Frost?"

"How about I answer that later? The sun's coming up." He says and looks over to the horizon. I pout at him for a moment then look over as well. My eyes widen with amazement.

The sun has just begun to rise over the edge of the earth reminding me of the beginning of The Lion King. The only thing missing was the African animals, and the crazy lyrics I could never sing along to. Colors of pink, orange, and red streak the sky, illuminating the clouds hanging low over the mountains in the far west. The field below us had a thick layer of snow that sparkled, like someone had dumped a whole jar of glitter on top of it. The wind swirls through, creating small tornados of flakes and the trees on the far outer edge are covered with ice from the snowstorm last night.

"Whoa." Was all I could slip out of my mouth. No amount of words could ever describe the beauty being seen.

"Told you." He smirks.

"It's beautiful." I say and turn to him, eyes wide with wonder.

"Yeah you are." He says as a dreamy expression appears on his face.

"What?"

"Oh! I mean _it_ is!" He laughs nervously and scratches the back of his head. Blood rushes to my cheeks and I look away. "Hey do you wear makeup?"

"Uh…yeah why?"

"I don't think you should." He answers. "It covers up your lovely freckles, and you have adorable natural blush."

"Oh…um really?" I tuck one of my curls behind my ear.

"Yeah. You look pretty without it."

I blush ten shades deeper. "No one's ever told me that before."

"Well it's true." He says with a sweet smile and my stomach instantly fills with butterflies. Nothing could have ruined the moment more perfectly than me.

"Are those the Northern Lights?" I blurt out. Rainbows of colors snake across the sky in wavy patterns.

"Oh no." Jack says and mutters something under his breath. He stands up off of the branch and grabs his staff. "I have to take you back." Scooping me into his arms, we soar off the tree and into the winter morning air.

"What's wrong?" I ask, concerned. His face is hard with uncertainty and he sighs.

"Nothing. Just some Guardian stuff. Don't worry about it." He gives me a some-what reassuring smile.

"There's that _Guardian_ word again. When are you ever going to answer any of my questions? I answer all of yours!"

"Chill out Snowflake. I have to get you home first. I'll answer them later."

"Promise?"

He rolls his eyes and leans his head in close to mine until out noses are almost touching. "Cross my heart and hope to die." He whispers.

The rest of the ride was better since I had Jack's hoodie keeping me from freezing like a Popsicle. The view was breathtaking as we soared above the clouds, now that I could actually see where we were going. Jack slowed as we neared my house and set me down through the open window of my bedroom.

"Here's your jacket back." I say and begin to remove it from my toasty body.

"Nah, you hold on to it. It gives me a reason to come back." He winks and starts to float away from the window.

"Wait! You never answered my question! Are you the real Jack Frost?" He smiles at me and waves his hand.

"See ya later Snowflake." And he flies off into the sky, following the beautiful display of lights from the north. I sigh and close my window. On the glass, there are perfectly formed letters of frost, spelling out one word.

_Yes._

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**Ta da! A new chapter! :) Since winter break only lasts a week longer, I will be trying to write as many chapters as I can. So the next will be in Jack's POV. It's gonna be awesome. And have you guys heard the soundtrack for Rise of the Guardians?! It's BEAUTIFUL! I bought it on iTunes today and can't stop listening to it! Also, someone should make an AMV of Jack to the song Invisible by Clay Aiken. Or if there already is one, SOMEONE PLEASE send me the link. That's just one of the many songs that fits him so well. Hope you liked the chapter, and I will be waiting for your reviews! :D****  
**


	4. Chapter 4

Jack's POV

I curse North for calling a meeting. He usually tells us when they will be, and I was defiantly _not_ aware of this one. Maybe I should have taken my hoodie back. It might raise suspicion with the other Guardians and I really don't want to be flooded with questions. But I just can't get over how adorable she looked in it, even though it was a little big on her. And I couldn't just let her freeze in her room after I selfishly flew her in the cold wind just to see a sunrise. But even if she was cold, she never complained. She continued to smile and laugh the whole time. The way her nose scrunches up ever so slightly when a giggle escapes her lips is enough to put my stomach on a rollercoaster for days. Just thinking about her now brings warmth to my heart and blush on my cheeks, which I didn't think was possible considering I'm dead.

I wasn't lying to her when I said I was lost in her eyes. They were the dark forest green kind that would make you think of a warm spring afternoon in the trees. Specks of gold ran through them like sunlight peaking its way into the forest floor. When they light up from every smile makes my body tingle from head to toe.

I could feel heat rising in my cheeks from thinking about her as I near North's workshop. I try to wipe Katie from my mind as best as I could, but her laugh still rings in my ears when I fly through the open window. Of course, I'm the last to arrive. Tooth smiles at me warmly as I land my feet onto the ground and put my staff against the wall.

"Jack! So good to see you!" North exclaims in his thick Russian accent. I give everyone a small wave hello.

"What took you so long mate? And what happened to your hoodie?" Bunny asks with a hint of mischief in his voice. Damn. I was hoping no one would notice. He raises his eyebrows in amusement when I don't answer right away. Everyone else turns to me with a questioning look, forcing me to come up with an answer.

"I…uh left it somewhere on accident." I reply, scratching the back of my head.

"Pft. Yeah, you left it with a girl." He says. My eyes widen with shock and my mouth practically drops to the floor. There's no way that he knows.

"What makes you say that?" I spat at him.

"Oh please," He hops over to me. "I can smell it all over ya. I really doubt you wash yourself with flowery soap. Plus on my way here, I saw you with her in a tree." No explanation comes to my mind and I hang my head in defeat. So much for not telling anyone.

"So!" North comes up and slaps me on the back, "Jack's got a girl eh?"

"Well yeah…I mean no…sort of…" My voice trails off as I rub the back of my neck nervously. It's weird talking about this kind of stuff to them. I'm so used to being alone and keeping to myself.

"What is she like? Is she pretty?"

"Beautiful! She's got this long curly brown hair and these green eyes and this smile…oh I could just melt in her smile." A heart appears over Sandy's head and gives me a dreamy expression. Tooth's expression gives off a hint of jealousy and Bunny rolls his eyes.

"Too bad you'll have to stay away from her." Bunny says.

"What?" I glare at him coldly. "What do you mean? You can't tell me what to do."

"Jack." North says with sympathy. "Pitch is back." I take a step back in shock.

"That's…that's not possible."

"Fear can't disappear forever, Jack." Tooth says, "We fear that he's going to come after us for revenge. And…well…"

North speaks up. "We can't risk her safety. Pitch might decide to hurt you by harming her. It's not that we aren't happy for you. We just want what is best. You understand right?" I nod slowly. Stay away from Katie? Is that even possible? My whole mind is always focused on her. It even hurts right _now_ to be away from her and the warmth that seems to surround me when we are close.

"So what do we do?" I ask.

"Stay together. We are more powerful that way, and he would have to go through all of us together. At the same time, we will be monitoring the globe. It would be best if we would all stay here." Swallowing my pride, I grab my staff from the wall and walk down the hall into one of the spare bedrooms. I slam the door behind me.

It's been days. I hadn't bothered to count though, knowing it would only bring me pain. Only coming out to eat and help North make more ice, I sit in my room with the curtains drawn tight, thinking of Katie. _Does she miss me? Does she even notice that I'm gone? Did she even care about me at all?_ Questions that I've convinced myself wouldn't be answered swirl through my head. I close my eyes and lean back on my pillow, picturing her face. The warmth slowly creeps back into my body as I imagine us flying over the trees. _We were so close to each other. We were touching._ I wonder about what it was like to kiss someone. Kiss _her_. Katie's lips were probably soft like her eyes were on the day we met. But there's no use in thinking like that. I'd never get to kiss her, even if I wasn't being kept here. Why would she go for a guy like me?

The door of my room slams open as Tooth comes flying in. "North needs more ice!" She chirps and glides out and down the hall. Sighing, I grab my staff and take my time getting to his workshop. His door is wide open and music blasts from inside.

"Ah! Jack! There you are!"

"Hey North." I say, yawning. My eyes catch the tank of water across the room, and with one tap of my staff it's frozen solid. I slump down onto one of his chairs and sigh.

"Jack, are you alright?" He asks, turning the music down to a whisper.

"Huh? Oh yeah." I say while stretching my back. "I'm just tired."

"Tired? You sleep all day!"

"I'm just bored, sitting here all day." He sighs.

"I know Jack, but you know it's best if you don't go out there alone. Pitch could be waiting for us."

"So why don't we go and look for him instead of waiting?" North stays quiet and then, it all clicks. Reality hits me like a ton of bricks.

"You _have_ been looking for him, without me."

"Jack," He puts his hand on my shoulder. "We just want-"

"What's best! I know!" I push away his hand and stand up. "But you could have at least told me. Did you ever consider _my_ feelings? I almost feel betrayed. What, you can't trust me enough to stay out of trouble while I'm out?"

"No! We trust you, it's just…"

"Katie?" The silence answers me. They think that I can't protect her. Do they have any faith in me at all? They must not. After a quick glance at North, I rush out of the room and go straight back to my dark cave.

Nighttime falls quickly over the North Pole and I use it as my chance to escape. I don't know why I never thought of this before. No one was ever watching me closely and I could have easily slipped out my window anytime. As soon as I feet the cold air on my skin, I was off into the night. The wind gave me an extra boost as I called to it and was outside of Burgess before I knew it. There wasn't a cloud in the sky and the moon shined brightly, making it easy for me to spot her house. All of the lights were off, making the house seem almost evil. Nearing her window, I tug on the bottom ledge and to my surprise it slides open easily. The curtains graze over my hair as I stick my head inside. She lies in her bed, facing the other way. The sight of her makes my heart jump. I creep inside, walking around her room to see her face. At first, I'm overjoyed to see her, until I really take a look.

She is breathing heavily, almost gasping for air. Her eyebrows are scrunched together and her face shows fear. A cold sweat covers her body and she begins to thrash around, limps being caught in the sheets. Black sand sweeps around her head in clouds and my eyes widen.

"Katie! Katie!" I yell, shaking her. "Wake up!" Her eyes snap open, alarmed like a deer caught in headlights.

"Jack." She gasps. Her body starts to tremble and she bursts into tears.

"Shhh. It's ok. It was just a nightmare." I say and sit down next to her on the bed. I put my arms around her and hold her until she stops crying.

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**New chapter! Yay! Pitch is back people. Are you ready for some action? I hope you liked reading in Jack's POV for this chapter, I though it would be fun to write. And now you know how much he really cares about Katie! *Squeal* It's just so adorable. Oh! I'm also thinking on adding Cupid to the story...we shall see. But omg you guys are so ****awesome. I love reading your reviews! Ok, hope you liked the chapter. :)**


	5. Chapter 5

Jack's cold arms surround me as I tremble with fear. Tears start to cloud my eyes until they spill over, flowing onto my cheeks.

"It's ok. It was only a nightmare." He whispers to me. That seems to calm me down a bit and I stop shaking. Jack lifts his hand up to my face and wipes away the fresh tears. "Are you ok now?" He asks with soft eyes. I nod my head slightly, even thought I was far from being ok. That was my fifth nightmare this week, with each getting worse as the days progress. Not getting a good rest has left me super cranky during the day, and I've gotten in trouble with my dad from giving him attitude. But it's not my fault. I can't control the nightmares that plague my mind at night.

"Are you sure you are ok?" I look up at him slowly. His eyes are full of deep worry and I notice that I'm shaking again. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No." I reply right away. "I'd rather not think about it." My voice cracks from my dry throat. He sighs and stares at me. His eyes are practically begging me to tell him, but I can't bring myself to do it. All I want are those terrible thoughts out of my head so that I can finally get some sleep.

Just then, my bedroom door creaks open, reveling my 5-year-old sister, Lauren. Her face is streaked with tears and she clutches her stuffed bunny close to her chest. She just stands there, trembling in the doorway. She had another nightmare too. I slip out of Jack's arms and walk over to my whimpering sister.

"I-I had a bad dream again." She says as I scoop her up into my arms. Lauren rests her head on my shoulder and looks up at me.

"Shh, I know. But you know what? It wasn't real. It's all gone now. Nothing can hurt you here." I comfort her, "And don't forget Mr. Bunny is here to protect you." I nudge my head towards the limp rabbit. She giggles and hugs him tighter. Peaking over my shoulder, Lauren's eyes widen and look to me.

"Who's that boy, sissy?" She asks me as I look over my shoulder. Jack stands up from my bed with a confused face.

"You can see me?" He whispers. "But how? Not many people can see me…" He mumbles to himself as he brushes his hand through his hair. Lauren wiggles herself out of my arms and walks over to Jack, pulling on his white shirt. He bends down so that he is eye-level to her with his hands resting on his thighs.

"Jack Frost?" Lauren tills her head to the side. Jack's eyes widen and his mouth opens slightly.

"What? How do you know my name?"

"Sissy told me about you." Jack looks up at me with a questioning expression. I smile sheepishly.

"I might have told her a little bit." I confess.

"Yeah! She said that you make the snow and have white hair and blue eyes and she said you have a really cute smile…"

"Oh she_ did_, did she?" Jack cracks a smile at me as I blush. Never tell little siblings _anything._ They always blurt it everywhere. "What else did she say about me?"

"Well, she said that-"

"Ok! That's enough." I say, cutting her off. "It's time for you to go back to bed Lauren."

"Aw!" She whines.

"That's no fun Snowflake." Jack pouts at me. Hearing him call me Snowflake again fills my stomach with butterflies.

"Don't forget that you're hanging out with your friend tomorrow, Lauren. You need your sleep." She sighs at me in defeat.

"Ok, but Jack gets to carry me to my room." She says.

"Carry?" Jack snorts. "I can do better than that." He scoops Lauren up in his arms and stands up. "We're _flying_ to your room." She squeals as the zip out of my room and down the hall. I roll my eyes. _Show off._ My dad's snoring fills the hallway as I walk down to Lauren's room. It's a good thing that he is a heavy sleeper, or else he would have been woken up by the laughter coming from her room already. Leaning against the doorpost, I look in to see it snowing slightly in Lauren's room. Lauren stands on her bed, trying to catch the flakes on her tong while Jack stands in the corner, smiling and creating more snow with his hand. It brings warmth to my heart to see her this happy. I care so much about her and she is the spitting image of our mom. I can see her golden locks of hair falling just below her shoulders and her brown eyes that reminds you of hot chocolate on a cold winter day. Her natural rosy cheeks and thin lips. Lauren will probably grow up to be just like her.

Jack notices me in the door and smiles. "Alright, that's enough snow. We don't want your whole floor to get wet." Lauren giggles and lies down in her bed. I walk over and tuck the covers under her chin.

"Goodnight." I say and kiss her forehead. She yawns and closes her eyes, sleepily. Looking up, I notice that Jack is already out of the room and I follow him back down the hall. When we get to my room, he looks out the window and sighs.

"What?"

"I have to go." He says quietly.

"Oh." I reply. "Then, here." I walk over to my desk chair, where his hoodie is draped over and hand it to him.

"Are you sure you don't want to keep it?"

"Nah." I wave my hand. "It looks better on you." He slips it on and jumps onto the windowsill. I don't want him to leave, fearing that the nightmares with snake their ways back to my mind again. Who knows when I'll see him again? I mean he was gone for days last time he left.

"Will I see you tomorrow?" I ask, hopeful.

It takes him a moment to answer. "I don't know."

"Oh."

"But I'll try to be back. As soon as I can. I'm sorry that I've been gone for a while."

"Yeah, you have some explaining to do." I say and playfully nudge his arm.

He gives me a wicked smile and says, "Or I could just frustrate you more, and _not _explain anything to you." I glare at him and he chuckles. "I promise I'll visit as soon as I can." Then he does something completely unexpected. He leans down and kisses my forehead as I did to Lauren's. "Sweet dreams Snowflake." Jack says and pushes off from the window. My stomach was on a rollercoaster as I slowly sat down on my bed. I blush deeply, even though no one is there to see.

I didn't sleep soundly after Jack left. Actually, the nightmare got worse and so did my mood. When I woke up in the morning, I was both physically and mentally exhausted. Completely drained of all energy. Even so, I couldn't stay in bed all day because I had to babysit the kids down the street. It's a good thing that they can always keep themselves busy. The little girl is Lauren's age, so I bring her along so that they can play, and the boy is always caught up in playing in the snow. I try and smile through the day, but something keeps me in a depressing mood. It's not all from Jack leaving. It's from the nightmares. Unfortunately, my smiling doesn't shake off Jamie's suspicion.

"Hey Katie, are you ok?" He asks, looking over to me. Lauren and Sophie are upstairs, already asleep since it's past nine. The TV blares Jamie's favorite late-night cartoon and we sit on the couch next to each other. I hadn't noticed that I'm hugging my knees to my chest.

"Yeah my fine." I say.

"You don't look fine." He picks up the remote and mutes the TV. "What's wrong? You can tell me anything." I sigh.

"Ever since the 16th this month, me and Lauren have been having terrible nightmares every night. And they keep getting worse and worse."

"What are they about?"

"Each one is different, but they all have my mom in them. One was like a memory playing through my head of the funeral. Another was that we were both being chased by these horrible black creatures and they caught up to her first…and the worst so far…." I shiver from the memory. "I was searching, in total darkness. I couldn't see anything or hear anything, and I could feel the cold creeping up on me. It was suffocating and I couldn't get out because I was so determined to find something."

"What were you searching for?"

"That's the thing, I don't know. Before I could find what I was looking for…I saw my mom. Dead. Her face was streaked with blood and…" My voice cuts off and I'm shaking. Jamie stays silent, then his eyes widen.

"Wait…wasn't the 16th…"

"The day she died, yeah. It's a really strange coincidence."

"Oh I would say that it was more than a coincidence, Katie." A cold voice says, sending shivers down my spine. I turn to where the voice came from and see a shadow looming along the wall. He was all black, except for his golden eyes that held mine. His mouth was twisted into a chilling smile as he looked at me. I didn't know it yet, but I was starring straight into the eyes of fear itself.

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**Happy New Year everyone! Hope you were partying as hard as I was! Jk. I was at a small party and then today, I went and saw The Hobbit. It was really good, even though I haven't watched ANY of the Lord of the Rings movies. Sorry the chapter is kind of short, but I wanted to leave ya with a cliff hanger. Muhhhahahahahaaa! Sorry. lol. I love reading your reviews! They just make my day! Thanks! And I'll update soon! :)**


	6. Chapter 6

I'm stuck. I can't move from a wave of fear that has washed over me. I'm parlayed. My throat has gone dry and my stomach feels sickly. Who is this guy? How did he get in the house? Never have I thought I'd have to deal with this type of situation. Was I ready?

"Pitch." Jamie growls from beside me. The man's golden eyes flicker to the side for a moment.

"Oh hello _Jamie_." He sneers, "Haven't seen you in a while. Have any nightmares lately?"

"No."

"Tis a shame." He replies.

"You know him?" I ask in complete shock.

"Oh me and Jamie go way back." Pitch answers as he glares at him. "And he helped destroy me before."

Destroy him? What is he talking about? Clearly he had to be some psycho. I stand off of the couch and put myself between Jamie and him. It's my job to protect the kids while I'm here and if this man wants to hurt Jamie, he'll have to go through me. His face flickers with interest and he gives a low chuckle. "Are you trying to protect him? Won't do you any good I'm afraid."

"And why not?"

"Because I'm not after Jamie." He says with a creepy smile. "I'm after you."

Both Jamie and I gasp. "What? Why me?"

"Let's just say…you're a special case." He raises his hands as black sand swirls through the room, creating a horse-like creature with bright yellow eyes. My heart beats faster in my chest as it stalks closer to us. Its eyes were trained on me and me alone.

"Jamie, get out of here." I say sternly and after a moment, I hear him scramble from behind me towards the front door. He is almost there when he stops in mid-step and freezes. _Why did he stop? _That's when I heard the growl.

It's big, big enough to cover the doorway entirely just standing on all fours alone. Its body was jet black with the same yellow eyes as the horse, and they were staring right at Jamie. The hair on its back bristled as a fury black tail wagged furiously behind it. Ears flattened to its head, the lips of the creature curled over razor sharp teeth as it growled. A wolf.

Jaime took a step back slowly, with his legs shaking. I didn't need to see his face to know that the creature frightened him. Little by little, Jamie backed away and moved closer to me, until he was right by my side again. I pushed him behind me once more, putting as much space in between him and the two monsters.

"Do you like my new nightmare creature Jamie? I think this one is more appropriate than a horse." Pitch says and snaps his fingers. The horse that stood next to him broke down into the black sand again, and reappeared as another wolf. They both walk behind Pitch and began to circle us in the small living room. "Be careful. They can smell your fear."

They can _smell_ fear? What kind of monsters are these? More importantly, what did _I_ do to get this guy to come after me? Now I've endangered Jamie, Sophie, and my own sister. My eyes flicker back to the front door before one of the wolves' bodies block it from my view. If I run, will they leave Jamie and come after me?

"Uh…Katie?" Jamie whispers from behind me, snapping me out of my thoughts. I see that the wolves have stopped moving and are in a position to attack.

"I had a wonderful time meeting you, Katie. But I'm afraid that you've got to go." Pitch says darkly and they jump at us. Without thinking, I grab Jamie's arm and make a run for the door. I fling open the door and we fly into the cold air. My feet are instantly numb when they hit the freezing ground. The two wolves burst through the door seconds after we reach the driveway, and Pitch arrives after them, flying on a cloud of black sand that swirls down, creating a dozen more wolves.

"Don't be scared Jamie. It's going to be ok." I say to him, but his face seems normal, almost calm. It's like all of his fear has been wiped out of him in the last minute. He picks up two shovels that lay on the ground.

"Here" He says and tosses me one. "We'll have to fight them." Jamie takes a step forward, clenching his hands around the shovel. _When did he get so brave?_ The wolf in front lunges at Jamie and he swings the shovel, hitting it straight in the nose. It tumbles to the ground and disappears into the snow. "Who's next?"

I can see Pitch glaring down at Jamie from his black cloud. "Get them." He commands and the first wolf claws at me. I grip the weapon tight and swing it for my life.

The first to wolfs go down easily, but my feet become so cold, it's hard for me to move. I stay by Jamie as much as possible, but he is quick with dodging and striking the never-ending ban of black creatures. His feet are bare and we are in the snow. He must be freezing, so how can he still move like that? Not long after, the number of wolves increases greatly and the surround us. Jamie is panting heavily, trying to catch his breath as the monsters move closer. We are both tired. Every part of my body is about frozen and I can't even image how Jamie feels in his light t-shirt and pajama shorts. After a moment, one of the wolves gives a sickening growl and lunges straight for Jamie.

"No!" I gasp and run in front of him. Closing my eyes, I wait for its claws to dig into my flesh, but it never comes. I open my eyes back up to find the wolf frozen completely, with its snout inches from my face.

"Pitch!" A familiar voice yells, angrily. I look up to the sky and see Jack flying towards us with his staff raised to strike.

"Well if it isn't Jack Frost. Come to save your girlfriend from nightmares again?" Jack glares at Pitch with hatred in his eyes. "Well you're just in time Frosty."

"Jack!" Jamie exclaims next to me and Jack looks over in shock.

"Jamie, what are you doing here?" He asks.

"I'm babysitting him." I answer.

"It's so good to see you again." Jamie runs over and hugs Jack. He is a lot shorter than Jack, so his head only comes up to his chest. Jack smiles and ruffles his hair, but his face turns serious as Pitch clears his throat.

"Such a lovely reunion. Maybe I'll let you have your last bit of happiness together before I destroy you. But don't worry, I _will_ be back." He says and disappears into the night, along with the wolves. I let out a sigh and fall into the snow. I'm numb all over from the cold and exhausted from fighting those nightmare creatures. Jack flies over to me.

"Are you hurt?" He asks.

"No, just tired." I say. "How did you know we were here?"

"I was coming to check up on you when I heard those wolves growling. I'm so glad I went to check it out." He turns to Jamie, "I had no idea that he was going to come after you."

"Uh…actually Jack, he was after me." I say quietly.

"What?" His head snaps back towards me and his eyes are wide. I nod my head slightly and he brings his hands to his face. "No! They were right. I'm making a mess of things. He _did_ come after you!" Jack yells in frustration and a cold wind blows furiously around him making the tree bend over, in fright almost. I shiver violently from the cold air and he picks me off the ground.

Sighing, he says, "Let's get you two inside. I have some explaining to do."

Jamie starts a fire in the fireplace and helps Jack make hot chocolate while I go upstairs and check on Sophie and Lauren. To my relief, they are both still there, sleeping peacefully. The feeling in my toes starts to return as I sit down on the couch in the living room with Jack next to me. Jamie hands me a mug of hot chocolate and curls his feet up on the recliner. I take frequent sips of the liquid to warm my body, as Jack and Jamie tell me about what had happened with Pitch about a year ago.

"We think he is out for revenge." Jack says.

"Ok, but what does that have to do with me?" I ask.

"Well if Pitch wants to harm any of us, he would go after something we care about and…uh…for me…" He stutters nervously, trying to find the right words. Jamie gives a large grin.

"That means he cares a lot about you Katie!" He chirps and looks at him. "You're just afraid to admit it." Jack's eyes grow to the size of oranges and the slightest shade of pink appears on his cheeks.

"Well…I…uh…" He smiles sheepishly and rubs the back of his neck. He cares about me? He must care a lot if it's enough to send the Nightmare King after me. "Oh well, would you look at the time!" Jack says, changing the subject. I look over to the clock on the wall.

"Oh gosh Jamie. You should have been in bed by now." I say. Standing off of the couch, I take mine and Jamie's mugs over to the sink in the kitchen.

"I get it. You two want some _alone _time." He says with mischief in his voice. "I'll leave. All you had to do was ask." I'm glade that it was dark so that no one saw me blush. Jamie gives Jack and I a hug goodnight and he skips up to his room. After rinsing the two glasses, I sit back down on the couch with Jack. His arm goes around me instantly and I rest my head on his shoulder. There is a moment of silence before Jack speaks.

"I've made a mess of things." He says.

"No you haven't."

"Yes I have!" He insists, "I've put you in danger."

I sigh. "There's no denying that one."

"And if you had gotten hurt today…"

"But I didn't." I cut in.

"But if you had, I would have never forgiven myself. And what if he comes after you again and I'm not there to save you?" My head leaves his shoulder and I look up to his face. The dying fire gives just enough light to see his worried expression. "You would be safer staying with the other Guardians." He mumbles. "Wait that's it! You can stay with the other Guardians until we get Pitch! It's perfect!"

"Wait what?"

"Of course I would have to get North's permission…" He says to no one in particular.

"What about my sister and my dad? I just leave them?" I ask. No, I can't just disappear out of thin air. I can't do that to my sister. " I can't do that Jack. I won't."

"But think about it. If you stay here, Pitch might harm them too. You would be protecting them if you left." He has a good point. If Pitch is just coming after me to get Jack, there is no reason for him to attack my family. "And I'll keep an eye on them while you are away."

"I don't know Jack."

"Please." He mumbles and rests his head on mine. "You'd be so much safer and I wouldn't have to worry all of the time."

"Jack…"

"Please Katie?" My heart flutters at my name. That's the first time I've ever heard him say it and I practically melt right there.

"Ok." I say.

"Oh thank you." He whispers and kisses the top of my head just like the other night.

Jamie's parents come home right on schedule. They thank me for babysitting and I carry Sophie down the street to our house with Jack at my heels. He waits for me outside my window as I write a small note to my dad, telling him not to worry about me. I change into a plain crewneck and lace up my hiking boots. Grabbing my coat, I take one last look at my room. Judging from what Jack was telling me, it might be a while until I come back home. I sigh, slipping into his arms and he carries me off to the north.

* * *

**So Pitch is after Katie. Interesting...hope you liked the chapter. I tried to leave you in suspense as long as possible, but I just had to post another chapter. Thanks again for the reviews! They make my day and give me confidence to keep writing! You all rock as always! :)**


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